Iceland - Air Policing 2016
The Czech Republic deployed four SAAB 39C Gripen aircraft (the fifth as a reserve) from the 21st Tactical Air Force Base Caslav to provide air defence coverage over territory and waters of Iceland.
ASICIPPN III Task Force, 2016, Iceland
Mission: Airborne Surveillance and Interception to meet Capabilities Iceland's Peacetime Preparedness
Mandate: The Czech government approved the deployment of up to 75 soldiers and four (the fifth as a reserve) SAAB 39C Gripen aircraft to the mission aimed at protection of the territory and the waters of the Republic of Iceland, a NATO-member country without own armed forces.
Time: September – November 2016
The mission accomplished on 1st November 2016
Station: Keflavik Air Base
Commander of the ASICIPPN III Task Force, 2016:
- Lieutenant Colonel Jaroslav Tomana
(Commander of the 211th Tactical Squadron, 21st Tactical Air Force Base in Caslav)
The aircraft are on duty with the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS). The Czech Gripens in Iceland are under the direct operational control of the fighter duty officer of the Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC), Uedem, Germany.
In Iceland, the aircraft are armed in the same way as in the QRA system in the Czech Republic: with air missiles and cannons.
The Task Force predominantly comprises service personnel of the 21st Tactical Air Force Base based in Caslav, complemented by specialists of the 26th Air Command, Control and Surveillance Regiment in Stara Boleslav and the Military Medical Agency.
History:
The 21st TAFB flight and ground personnel provided airspace defence coverage to the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in the form of air policing in four-month tours in 2009 and 2012; in 2014 and 2015 they protected the airspace of the Republic of Iceland.
Last update: November 7, 2016